I’m taking the Stanford AI Class, which started about 6 weeks ago. It’s been eye opening and it’s also a welcomed challenge. This is essentially an online version of the AI class that they teach at Stanford. This is the first time that they are trying an online version that is open to all. They have over 85,000 students enrolled. I’m a bit behind on the lectures because of the arrival of baby Maya. So, I should stop blogging and get back to the class!

Just started playing around with Cinder. It’s along the lines of Processing and openFrameworks. These platforms, if you will, really helps with the creation of graphic and event-based applications. I’ve worked with Processing (taught a class), dabbled in openFrameworks (created a music exploration/visualization environment) and am now trying Cinder.

For Spring 2003, I created a class called Dynamic Bodies at ITP. The class helped students to create algorithmically controlled/animated objects using vector math and physics. It was a class I created out of a labor of love and inspired by folks coming out of the, then John Maeda led, Aesthetic Computing Group. Some of the things that I’ve taught in that class have now been made easier with the introduction of libraries for vector math, physics engine and algorithmic behaviors (such as for boids). Many of these libraries are available for the three platforms above; one of the more notable is the feature rich toxilibs by Karsten “toxi” Schmidt for the Processing platform.

I missed those days of making things so I’m taking this opportunity to get back on it! One other reason for this step towards ‘making’ is that both openFrameworks and Cinder can be used to build iOS apps. I have an iOS project ‘in the works’ with a friend.